bostonangler

Yeah I thought it wasn't state wide... Thanks for your input.. B/A

Pope cancels Sunday prayers, 1st coronavirus case confirmed in Utah More than 102,000 people in 88 countries have been infected with novel coronavirus amid an outbreak that has sent countries and states scrambling to respond. At least 3,491 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University, with the majority of those in China, where the virus was first detected in Wuhan in December. The number of Americans diagnosed with the novel coronavirus is now at least 234, with at least 17 dead, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as of Friday. The states reporting cases are Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin. Here is how the situation is unfolding on Saturday (all times eastern). Please refresh for updates. 9:57 a.m. 1st U.S. service member in Europe tests positive A U.S. Navy sailor stationed at the Naval Support Activity Naples tested positive for novel coronavirus, marking the first positive cause of a U.S. service member in Europe, according to a statement from U.S. European Command Theater. The service member is in isolation at their residence and receiving medical care in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the statement read. Anyone who had close contact with the patient has been notified and is in self-isolation at their residence. Their condition was not immediate clear. 8:50 a.m. 14 Americans under quarantine in Bethlehem hotel The Palestinian health ministry in Bethlehem confirmed that 14 American citizens are being tested for coronavirus and have been quarantined in the Angles hotel in the city of Bethlehem for now. Those American citizens were trying to leave the city yesterday but were sent back to Bethlehem by the Israeli army, according to the Palestinian health ministry. People are not permitted to leave or enter Bethlehem, as per a decision made by Israeli and Palestinian authorities after 17 cases of coronavirus were confirmed in the city in the last 48 hours. 8:43 a.m. Houston-area church warns of possible exposure A person who tested positive for coronavirus attended the 5:30 p.m. Ash Wednesday service on Feb. 26 at the St. Cecilia Catholic Church, according to Harris County Public officials in Texas. The individual received ashes and had communion in the hand, but did not receive communion from the cup, officials said. The person sat in the last pew on the left side of the church. Officials are asking anyone who sat in the last three rows on the left side of the church during that service to contact Harris Couty Public officials at 713-439-6000. In the meantime, St. Cecilia has drained and sanitized the baptismal fonts and sanitized the church's pews, door handles and restrooms and will provide hand sanitizers at all the church's entrances. Parishioners are being urged to stay home if they are feeling unwell, according to a statement from the church. 7:43 a.m. Pope cancels Sunday prayers The Holy See press office just released the following statement (translated from Italian): "With regard to the events of the coming days, the prayer of the Angelus of the Holy Father on Sunday 8 March will take place from the Library of the Apostolic Palace and not in the square, from the window. The prayer will be streamed live by Vatican News and on screens in St. Peter's Square and distributed by Vatican Media to the media who will request it, so as to allow the participation of the faithful. The General Audience on Wednesday, March 11 will be held in the same manner. These choices are necessary in order to avoid the risk of diffusion of the COVID-19 due to the gathering during the security controls for access to the square, as also requested by the Italian authorities. In compliance with the provisions of the Health and Hygiene Directorate of the Vatican City State, the participation of the faithful guests in the Masses in Santa Marta will be suspended until Sunday 15 March. The Holy Father will celebrate the Eucharist privately." 3:46 a.m. Utah gets 1st confirmed case The number of coronavirus cases and deaths continue to increase in the U.S. as officials in Utah reported late Friday night that the state had its first confirmed COVID-19 case. Utah officials said they believe the victim was exposed to the virus on the Grand Princess cruise ship, which is currently just off the San Francisco coast with dozens of passengers quarantined onboard. As of Friday night, 19 passengers on the ship are confirmed to have coronavirus and 46 people have been tested, Vice President Mike Pence said at a press conference Friday. The first two East Coast coronavirus-related deaths were reported in Florida Friday. The U.S. coronavirus death toll now stands at 17, with at least 325 cases confirmed in 26 states. Tune into ABC News Live at noon ET every weekday for the latest news, context and analysis on the novel coronavirus, with the full ABC News team where we will try to answer your questions about the virus. The states reporting cases are Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, South Carolina, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin. MORE: Timeline: How coronavirus got started In response to the growing concern of what the World Health Organization calls a global health emergency, many organizations, events and companies are canceling large group events to help contain the spread of the coronavirus outbreak. PHOTO: President Donald Trump holds a photograph of coronavirus as Dr. Steve Monroe,right, with CDC speaks to members of the press at the headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta on Friday, March 6, 2020. (Hyosub Shin/AP, Marietta Daily, Gwinnett Daily Post, WXIA-TV, WGCL-TV) More The NBA, according to ESPN, sent a memo to teams telling them to prepare to play in front of empty arenas in the near future. The memo, obtained by ESPN and ABC New York affiliate WABC, said NBA teams were asked to develop a process and identify actions required if they had to play games without fans in attendance and with only essential staff at the arena. MORE: Americans hoarding hand sanitizer, face masks and oat milk amid coronavirus fears Following Friday night's win over the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James addressed the league’s memo to teams, warning he might not play in an empty arena. PHOTO: March 6, 2020; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts against the Milwaukee Bucks during the second half at Staples Center. (Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports) More "I ain't playing. If I ain't got the fans in the crowd, that's what I play for. I play for my teammates, I play for the fans,” James told reporters in the locker room following the game. “That's what it's all about. If I show up to an arena, and there ain't no fans there? I ain't playing. So, they could do what they want to do.” Previously Friday, the popular technology/culture/music festival SXSW in Austin, Texas, was canceled because of the coronavirus. "We are devastated to share this news with you. 'The show must go on' is in our DNA and this is the first time in 34 years that the March event will not take place," the event said in a statement Friday. Many schools and universities are going remote or canceling classes. MORE: Families of residents at Washington nursing home hit by coronavirus want answers The University of Southern California and Stanford University both moved all classes online in response to the Coronavirus outbreak. Stanford announced Friday that all classes would be moved online for the final two weeks of the quarter and USC said it is going to test remote classes for two days next week. “Our university must be nimble and flexible in the event that we need to make any further changes to the semester,” Charles F. Zukoski, USC Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, said in a statement Friday. “We have about 7,000 lecture classes this spring. We need to test our technical capabilities to ensure academic continuity in an online environment should there be a disruption.” The West Coast, particularly around the Seattle region, has been hit hard by COVID-19. Of the 17 coronavirus-related deaths in the U.S., 14 are from the state of Washington. The other West Coast death was in California. Globally at least 95,000 coronavirus cases have been confirmed with at least 3,200 deaths reported, most of which are in China, according to the WHO https://www.yahoo.com/gma/1st-coronavirus-case-confirmed-utah-nba-tells-teams-084628868--abc-news-topstories.html B/A

Last this festival was huge And in the case of a SXSW or Coachella, it’s a significant hit to the entire local economy. SXSW said last fall that the 2019 festival brought $356 million into local coffers, Austin is looking at a $400 million dollar hit... That's one event... B/A

Coronavirus latest: How the global health scare is impacting sports https://sports.yahoo.com/coronavirus-latest-how-the-global-health-scare-is-impacting-sports-231135518.html Johns Hopkins bans fans Meanwhile Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore announced on Thursday that the Division III basketball games it’s scheduled to host on Friday and Saturday will be played in an empty arena, the first known case of fans being barred from a sporting event in the United States. Stanford establishes crowd limits Stanford University has established its own protocol for home sporting events with a plan to reduce crowds. The school announced on Thursday that it plans to limit crowds to around 1/3 of capacity at 10 of its host venues as a precautionary measure “to allow fans the opportunity for social distancing.” Italy bars fans from sporting events Italy is one of the world’s hardest-hit countries, with 3,858 cases and 148 deaths as of Friday, according to CNN. In turn, the nation is implementing one of the most drastic strategies to combat the spread of the coronavirus, banning fans from all sporting events in the country until at least April 3. The Italian government made the announcement on March 4 alongside a decision to close all of the nation’s schools and universities until March 15. Among other events, the decision will impact games in Serie A, the nation’s top soccer league that features teams like Inter Milan and Juventus, Cristiano Ronaldo’s club. Serie A games were initially postponed before the decision to play resume play in front of empty stadiums. The Six Nations men’s and women’s rugby matches scheduled for March in Rome will also be played without fans present. It is an an international event that would normally draw thousands of fans from other countries. The coronavirus scare also threatened to halt a number of cycling events scheduled in Italy. Can you say Economic Disaster? B/A

WASHINGTON — Friday evening found Vice President Pence in an uncommon and uncomfortable position: Having to downplay and contradict assertions made by his boss. It proved a delicate act for Pence, who has become the face of the administration’s coronavirus response, and who has sought to project an aura of steely confidence. Trump can sometimes frustrate those efforts, as he did during visit to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta on Friday afternoon. Wearing a red “Keep America Great” baseball cap, the president used the occasion to offer his freewheeling thoughts on everything ranging from Fox News ratings to the educational pedigree of his uncle John Trump, who was a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor. But there were also blatantly incorrect claims, too, as when Trump said that “anybody that needs a test gets a test” for coronavirus. In fact, the CDC has badly lagged in preparing a nationwide testing regime, and only a minuscule percentage of Americans can currently be tested. That percentage will grow in the coming days, but not nearly as quickly as public health experts believe is necessary to contain the disease, which has infected at least 280 people and killed 15 in the U.S.. Trump also said during his CDC tour that the tests are “all perfect,” comparing it to his “perfect” phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. That phone call served as the basis for the impeachment inquiry that culminated in Trump’s acquittal last month. In fact, an initial CDC test was flawed, which delayed its implementation by about two weeks, during a critical period in February when the virus was spreading in Washington state and elsewhere. Trump added that he would rather not allow infected Americans to disembark the Grand Princess cruise ship that has been floating off the coast of Northern California. “I don’t need to have the numbers double because of one ship,” Trump complained as his secretary of Health and Human Services and the director of the CDC looked on. The White House briefing of the coronavirus task force began almost as soon as Trump’s remarks in Atlanta ended, which all but assured that Pence — who Trump appointed to head the task force — would be forced to account for the president’s statements. Vice President Mike Pence at a coronavirus briefing in the White House on Friday. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP) Pence tried to do so cautiously, aware that Trump is sensitive to any efforts to upstage or contradict him. Speaking of the coronavirus testing regime, which has been mired in confusion, Pence admitted that “we have a ways to go yet.” About 2,500 kits have been shipped out to laboratories. That means that 1.5 million tests are available. Because of testing protocols, however, those tests can be administered to only about 500,000 people. In an implicit rebuke to Trump, Pence said it would be a “matter of weeks” before the tests would be “broadly available.” Pence also addressed the issue of the Grand Princess. He said that 21 people on board the cruise ship have been infected with the coronavirus. Ignoring Trump’s complaints about infection statistics, Pence said he and California Gov. Gavin Newsom had “developed a plan” to have the ship dock at a “noncommercial” port. “Those that need to be quarantined will be quarantined, those that require additional medical attention will receive it,” Pence said. Food and Drug Administration Director Stephen Hahn added that test would “available significantly” by the end of next week. On Thursday, Pence visited with Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, whose leadership he has praised since the state became an epicenter of the coronavirus epidemic, despite Inslee being a Democrat often critical of the Trump administration. In his remarks in Atlanta, Trump offered his own thoughts on Inslee, calling him a “snake.” Pence was later confronted with that statement at the White House briefing, but the vice president ignored the question. In the course of the briefing, Pence also effusively praised Newsom, the California governor, who is another Trump nemesis https://www.yahoo.com/news/pence-gently-tries-to-correct-trumps-false-coronavirus-testing-claims-004119141.html Who wants to bet Trump dumps Pence before November? B/A

Negging a news story of blatant lying... Why does that not surprise me? Have you seen Pence trying fix Trump's lies on Corona testing? You're gonna love that one too... It is sad how throughout history party members always deny facts about their leaders... B/A

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho last year was the nation's fastest-growing state, with close to 37,000 new residents boosting its population to nearly 1.8 million. In the past decade, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, the deeply conservative state has seen a population jump of more than 200,000. Studies indicate many have come from liberal-leaning California, Oregon and Washington. But are those new residents bringing blue-state politics? Or are they Republicans fleeing the coast for conservative Idaho? An answer could emerge Tuesday when Idaho holds its presidential primaries. Democrats are using a primary for the first time after picking Sen. Bernie Sanders over Hillarious Clinton at a caucus in 2016. President Barack Obama handily won the Democratic contest in Idaho over Clinton in 2008. President Donald Trump is expected to have little difficulty winning the Republican primary or the state in the November general election. The last time Idaho voted for a Democratic presidential candidate was Lyndon Johnson in 1964. Still, officials say switching to a Democratic primary this year could significantly increase the number of participants, and play a role in the outcome. Former vice president Joseph Biden drew more than 100 donors at an Idaho event in August. Sen. Elizabeth Warren had scheduled a visit this weekend but ended her campaign Thursday. “We hope that Idaho continues to grow in diversity and political affiliation, and that will strengthen our party and candidates,” said Lindsey Johnson, spokeswoman for the Idaho Democratic Party. Jaclyn Kettler, a Boise State University political scientist, said it appears Democrats, in general, are moving to urban areas and Republicans to more rural areas, continuing the urban-rural divide between Democrats and Republicans prevalent in states in the U.S. West. “We've definitely seen some areas like Boise becoming bluer in the last few years,” she said. “More conservative voters are moving into Canyon County and northern Idaho.” Yet Democrats see the possibility of a bluish tinge appearing in Idaho following its 2.1% population increase last year. The House, for example, went from 11 to 14 Democrats in the 2018 election. Democrats flipped four urban district seats, but lost an urban district in northern Idaho after the incumbent Democrat ran for governor. Voter-driven ballot initiatives have also become a major focus in the state. After years of inaction by Republican lawmakers, Idaho residents in 2018 with 62% approved an initiative expanding Medicaid, a move opposed by conservative lawmakers. In response, Republicans in the House and Senate last year tried to make the initiative process nearly impossible, so they could head off future left-leaning measures such as raising the minimum wage and legalizing marijuana. But Republican Gov. Brad Little vetoed the legislation amid concerns a federal court could rule such restrictions unconstitutional and dictate the state's initiative process. Overall, though, Republicans hold all five statewide elected offices, including governor, and hold super-majorities in both the Idaho House and Senate. Both of Idaho's U.S. House seats and both U.S. Senate seats are also occupied by Republicans. Democratic House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel of Boise said she's not sure which way the "in-migration is tilting," but she thinks it will be a wash. GOP Senate President Pro-Tem Brent Hill of Rexburg, meanwhile, noted that for the most part, Republicans are unconcerned about a possible change in demographics because it appears most of those moving to Idaho tend to vote Republican. "It's hard to know for sure, but sometimes we kid about people coming from more liberal states," said Hill, who is wrapping up 20 years as a state senator after the Legislature adjourns this spring. "One of the reasons they came was to get away from that." Idaho voters can currently register or switch parties right up to the presidential primary. Legislation will prevent that from happening in future primaries, however. Idaho holds its state primary on May 19. This year, the primary will include a U.S. Senate seat, both U.S. House seats, and all 105 seats in the Legislature. https://www.yahoo.com/news/idaho-turning-little-blue-primary-142447120.html nstoolman, what is your opinion on this one? B/A

SXSW has officially been canceled amid growing fears over the spread of coronavirus. As of Friday afternoon, there have been 17 confirmed cases in Texas, where the annual entertainment, music and technology festival takes place. At a press conference at Austin’s City Hall on Friday, a number of city officials updated the media on the status of the city’s upcoming festivals. “It’s really unfortunate to be canceling SXSW, it’s tied to who we are in this city, and I look forward to the next iteration of SXSW when it comes,” said Austin Mayor Steve Adler. Festival organizers shared the following statement online, adding that they are “devastated,” but will follow the City of Austin’s decision: The City of Austin has cancelled the March dates for SXSW and SXSW EDU. SXSW will faithfully follow the City’s directions. We are devastated to share this news with you. “The show must go on” is in our DNA, and this is the first time in 34 years that the March event will not take place. We are now working through the ramifications of this unprecedented situation. As recently as Wednesday, Austin Public Health stated that “there’s no evidence that closing SXSW or any other gatherings will make the community safer.” However, this situation evolved rapidly, and we honor and respect the City of Austin’s decision. We are committed to do our part to help protect our staff, attendees, and fellow Austinites. We are exploring options to reschedule the event and are working to provide a virtual SXSW online experience as soon as possible for 2020 participants, starting with SXSW EDU. For our registrants, clients, and participants we will be in touch as soon as possible and will publish an FAQ. We understand the gravity of the situation for all the creatives who utilize SXSW to accelerate their careers; for the global businesses; and for Austin and the hundreds of small businesses – venues, theatres, vendors, production companies, service industry staff, and other partners that rely so heavily on the increased business that SXSW attracts. We will continue to work hard to bring you the unique events you love. Though it’s true that our March 2020 event will no longer take place in the way that we intended, we continue to strive toward our purpose – helping creative people achieve their goals. Between Thursday night and Friday morning, three more cases had been confirmed in Texas. There are currently 66 confirmed cases in California, where many of the participating media and tech companies are based. Prior to the announcement, much of Hollywood and Silicon Valley had already canceled their plans for the annual festival, which was scheduled to run from March 13 through March 22. Amazon Studios, Apple, Netflix, Facebook, Twitter, and Starz had been among the companies that had canceled their SXSW plans, while Starz parent Lionsgate and HBO Max and CNN parent WarnerMedia had scaled back their activities. AMC had pulled its featured session with Jason Segel to promote his new series, “Dispatches From Elsewhere.” Meanwhile, NBCUniversal had decided to no longer participate in SXSW this year; NBC News first reported the news on Thursday. No panels had been officially announced, but NBCU had intended to once more set up its Comcast NBCUniversal House, which last year featured immersive virtual reality, gaming experiences and panels. Additionally, Sony had canceled its panel for AMC’s “Better Call Saul.” Co-creator Peter Gould tweeted late Thursday that he was “very sorry and disappointed” that the event had been dropped from the schedule. AMC’s panel for “The Walking Dead: World Beyond” had also been canceled, following the withdrawal of media hosts IGN and Mashable. A number of upcoming festivals and events, including the National Association of Theatre Owners’ (NATO) CinemaCon and the Cannes Film Festival, have said they’re monitoring coronavirus. In response to SXSW’s cancellation, Patrick Corcoran, vice president & chief communications officer of NATO, said in a statement, “We remain in contact with the CDC, WHO, and state and local health officials. We continue to monitor the situation with their guidance.” One key element in the SXSW cancellation was the city of Austin going on record as officially forcing SXSW to shut it down, just as the city of Miami officially forced a cancellation upon the Ultra Music Festival this week. Indeed, Austin even made a “disaster” declaration, even though there have been no confirmed cases in the city yet. In both instances, waiting for the city to act in a way that left the festival with no choice but to comply was likely what the festivals were waiting for and wanted, in order to be able to collect insurance, which would almost certainly not kick in if they made the decision unilaterally. Music industry experts Variety spoke with after Ultra’s cancellation and before SXSW’s said that most major music festival promoters would have purchased a communicable disease add-on to their cancellation insurance (or, actually, a buy-back, since disease coverage is usually marked as an exclusion on policies). But insurance would only kick in if a festival was forced to shut down by the authorities Mere prudence, an abundance of caution or even a public outcry would not count as legitimate reasons for promoters to cancel, by insurance standards. Adam Siegel, entertainment manager at American Agents & Brokers, Inc., an insurance company that has the Ultra Festival as a client, said Thursday that he was “sure that the city (of Austin) is speaking with the (SXSW) promoter and talking about what kind of preventative measures they would be able to offer… (But) I don’t know how you can really prevent that. You can have hand sanitizing stations based all over the place, but when people are that close… and we know they’re saying it could be in a drop of someone’s cough or a sneeze.” But Siegel understood the hesitation to cancel. It’s not just the promoter taking a hit — at a music festival, it’s the artists, who will be out their guarantees, since very few of them would have paid extra for communicable disease coverage before the current outbreak. And in the case of a SXSW or Coachella, it’s a significant hit to the entire local economy. SXSW said last fall that the 2019 festival brought $356 million into local coffers, and many Coachella Valley businesses draw much or most of their annual income just from the three weekends of Coachella and Stagecoach every April. “As far as impact, it’s going to affect the promoter most,” Siegel said. “Look at every vendor and every advance they’ve put out already and all the investment in marketing. But, I mean, look at what an Uber driver is expecting to make that weekend. It’s going to affect a ton of people in all different segments of the food chain, basically. … Coachella is still a little bit further out, and they’re certainly waiting to see what’s happening.” But once the precedent has been set by Ultra and SXSW, other festivals are likely to follow suit, “now that they see: ‘Okay, this is what happened here, so it makes sense to do it, because our situation is similar.’ It’s a matter of protecting people. They certainly don’t want to be the epicenter of an outbreak.” Just prior to the SXSW cancellation, James Sammataro, one of the top entertainment attorneys in the music biz and a partner at Pryor Cashman LLP, told Variety: “We’re all trying to straddle the line between prudence and panic…. There are two tipping points in my mind. One is, what does the NCAA do in terms of March Madness? Are they going to really play in empty arenas? If they do that, that’s going to cause a lot of people to rethink their policies. Because that’s obviously a huge money making event, and sure, they still make money from TV, but if they’re going to be canceling essentially 32 games out of the box, that’s going to be a bellwether. And if the NCAA was to proceed, what does Coachella do? Coachella is the industry setter in all things, so if Coachella was even close to canceling, it’s going to have a lot of people rethinking what they’re doing.” https://variety.com/2020/music/news/sxsw-canceled-coronavirus-2020-austin-1203526422/ This is only the beginning of the economic affect we are about to see... B/A

“Oh, we’ll be cutting.” Those four words—spoken in response to a question about entitlements during a Fox News town hall on Thursday—are likely to haunt President Donald Trump for the rest of his re-election campaign. But don’t worry, Kellyanne Conway said Friday morning on Fox News, the president didn’t actually say what you heard him say. Fox News host Ed Henry brought those comments, referring to them as something Trump “seems to be trying to clean up this morning,” during the White House counselor’s latest appearance on the network. “Kellyanne, the president this morning promising he’ll protect Social Security and Medicare,” Henry said. “You were there at that town hall, he said the opposite. He said that he, in a second term, would cut Social Security and Medicare and he would cut entitlement programs. Why did he say that?” “He didn’t say that,” Conway replied with a straight face. “You’re misquoting him, respectfully.” She went on to explain that when she brought up the reaction to the comments with Trump directly, he told her, “No, I’m talking about cutting deficits.” Stephen Colbert Grills CNN’s Chris Cuomo on His ‘Friend’ Kellyanne Conway Henry could have let it go at that, but instead he played the video clip of the moment, which clearly contradicts that explanation. At the town hall, Fox host Martha MacCallum told the president, “If you don’t cut something in entitlements, you’ll never really deal with the debt.” “Oh, we’ll be cutting,” Trump said in response. “But we’re also going to have growth like you’ve never had before.” “So Martha MacCallum said right there, but you’re going to have cut entitlements to cut the deficit and he said, ‘We’ll be cutting,’” Henry said after the clip finished. And yet, in the face of video evidence, Conway maintained her spin. “But that wasn’t what he was talking about, he wasn’t talking about cutting entitlements,” she insisted, pointing to a statement from Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham that similarly tried to clean up those comments. She then deftly pivoted to blaming President Barack Obama, and the show moved on to the coronavirus. But despite Conway’s misleading protestations, Trump’s words have already become a major issue in the 2020 presidential campaign with both Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders tweeting their respective vows to protect entitlements on Thursday evening. Now, The Daily Beast has learned that American Bridge 21st Century will become the first Democratic Super PAC to use the clip against Trump, launching a five-figure digital ad buy highlighting the president’s “promise” to cut entitlements and targeting to older voters in counties surrounding Scranton, Pennsylvania, where the town hall took place. “We want to ensure that local voters who didn’t catch Trump’s town hall see Trump’s most important answer of the night and know what’s in store for a second Trump term—cuts to Social Security and Medicare,” American Bridge President Bradley Beychok said in a statement. “This made-for-TV moment exposed Trump for who he really is—someone willing to play with seniors’ lives.” https://www.yahoo.com/news/fox-news-catches-kellyanne-conway-195710137.html It must have been a lip sync with Rich Little doing a Trump impression... Maybe the Deep State has invented a fake Trump to do these statements about screwing his base... Or maybe Kellyanne is just a liar. B/A

Yeah old those supporters didn't move the needle one bit... So either they didn't listen him, or there really aren't that many people behind him. B/A

Robocallers have added an insidious twist to what is already a huge daily annoyance to many consumers. Transaction Network Services, which provides robocall detection services to major phone networks, told Yahoo Finance that it has begun to see reports of robocalls using coronavirus as its targeting method. In the past, scam calls have used fears about the IRS and Social Security benefits to take advantage of people, often pretending to be representatives from those government agencies. Recently, scammers have been employing a FedEx scam. But true to form, scammers once again adapt to leverage the news to their benefit — employing coronavirus concerns. “Obviously, healthcare has always been one of the top scams, but if the bad actors can twist the scam and modify it a little, we’ll see them use that,” said Jim Tyrrell, Transaction Network Services’ Senior Director of Product Marketing. Transaction Network Services, which powers call analytics and call filtering for Yahoo Finance parent company Verizon (VZ), Sprint (S), and US Cellular (USM), uses “honeypot” numbers — essentially fake numbers that answer if a robocall dials in — to figure out trends involving scams and a crowdsource feedback tool that works with its robocall apps. “We’ve seen feedback around ‘free cruises,’ because they’ve taken a hit [from the coronavirus],” Tyrell said. “A lot of calls seem to be more on the west coast in the California region.” Transaction Network Services also said that scammers have also been trying to put malware on devices through the text messages, using coronavirus messaging as bait. Not everyone has these reporting apps — and even fewer report things like this using the feedback tools. Only about 1 in 2,000 people who get a robocall bother to fill out the feedback form on these apps, so Transaction Network Services says even just a few instances of this coronavirus robocall are indicative of meaningful scammer activity beginning. In January, Transaction Network Services received only a handful of reports of coronavirus scam calls, but the amount of complaints has grown to around a dozen into March. While it’s probably not yet widespread, Transaction Network Services’s Tyrell sees this as a fresh threat to consumers as bad actors adjust their tactics continuously. Coronavirus scams are likely to persist for a while — and not just with robocalls. Already, Amazon has been dealing with coronavirus scams, removing over a million product listings from third-party sellers trying to take advantage of the public’s worry to turn a quick profit, and it appears that the public will be dealing with its own coronavirus scam issues. On the other hand, not all coronavirus robocalls are scam calls. Many towns — and even a priest in Wisconsin — have employed robocalls for legitimate alerts regarding the virus, such as school closings. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/the-coronavirus-robocall-scams-are-emerging-162020669.html FYI B/A

So who's investigating Barr? He has made a mockery of his position. B/A

Ha Ha I may have to call my next one that, right after the RV B/A

Pizza Gate.. B/A

I wonder what programs. Surely he wouldn't cut senior benefits... Those people have it tough enough as it is. B/A

Pre-Market Blues for Friday S&P Futures 2,945.25 -70.25(-2.33%) Dow Futures 25,500.00 -560.00(-2.15%) Nasdaq Futures 8,417.75 -231.00(-2.67%)

Ding Ding Ding... Or maybe it should be the Ding-A-Ling!!! B/A

So the negmiester thinks the Republicans are not to be questioned but the Democrats are? I guess you think there is no agenda for one side, but there is for the other.... What a rube. BA

? https://www.ktvb.com/article/weather/this-winter-will-end-as-one-of-the-warmest-on-record-for-boise/277-c1a971cd-baa4-483f-93c3-8c66f726cf3d https://247wallst.com/special-report/2020/02/28/places-having-the-most-unusually-mild-winters-this-year/2/ B/A

Well if it was political for the Dems to investigate Trump, wouldn't it be the same if the Republicans investigate Biden, whose dad is a threat? B/A

S&P 500 3,019.99 -110.13(-3.52%) Dow 30 26,095.56 -995.30(-3.67%) Nasdaq 8,738.50 -279.58(-3.10%) Russell 2000 1,477.71 -53.49(-3.49%)

Across much of the United States, a warming climate has advanced the arrival of spring. This year is no exception. In parts of the Southeast, spring has arrived weeks earlier than normal and may turn out to be the warmest spring on record. Apple blossoms in March and an earlier start to picnic season may seem harmless and even welcome. But the early arrival of springtime warmth has many downsides for the natural world and for humans. Rising temperatures in the springtime signal plants and animals to come alive. Across the United States and worldwide, climate change is steadily disrupting the arrival and interactions of leaf buds, cherry blossoms, insects and more. In my work as a plant ecologist and director of the USA National Phenology Network, I coordinate efforts to track the timing of seasonal events in plants and animals. Dramatically earlier spring activity has been documented in hundreds of species around the globe. Lilies, blueberries, birds and more … all sped up https://www.yahoo.com/news/bad-global-warming-news-spring-121000970.html No doubt we have smashed so many records and I have stuff blooming way early this year... Feels great, but we are gonna have a lot of bugs this year. B/A

WASHINGTON (AP) — Melania Trump is set to make a rare fundraising foray into the 2020 campaign. President Donald Trump's reelection campaign is asking supporters to make a donation for a chance to meet the first lady in California. “Win a trip to meet first lady Melania Trump in Beverly Hills,” the campaign literature says. A date for the event was not included, though it is believed to be scheduled for mid-March. Mrs. Trump largely avoided campaigning and fundraising during the 2016 presidential campaign. The Trumps' son, Barron, was 9 when Donald Trump became a candidate in 2015, and Melania Trump said Barron's other parent needed to be home with him as much as possible. She appeared occasionally with Trump during the campaign and also addressed the Republican National Convention in 2016. Barron turns 14 later this month. Since Trump took office in 2017, the first lady has appeared with him at a few of his campaign rallies, where she is popular with his core supporters. Trump loyalists who pack his campaign venues by the thousands routinely burst into applause when the president mentions his wife's name. A Fox News poll of registered voters in January found more were positive than negative toward Melania Trump, 47% to 40%. An additional 13% of those surveyed didn’t give an opinion. A spokeswoman for Trump's campaign said the first lady is in demand. “First lady Melania Trump is a sought-after voice from the First Family, who has the overwhelming approval and admiration of the American people," spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany said in an emailed statement. "She is an incredible mother, wife, leader, and first lady for our nation.” The campaign does not release fundraising details, McEnany said. The White House did not respond to requests for comment. https://www.yahoo.com/news/melania-trump-rare-foray-onto-202924121.html He's pimping his wife???? B/A

Yup he was wrong, just like Trump bashing judges on a daily basis.... B/A

WASHINGTON – Congressman Matt Gaetz, R-FL., wore a gas mask on the House floor while the chamber voted on a coronavirus funding bill Wednesday. It wasn't clear whether Gaetz was wearing the gas mask to troll those panicking over the outbreak, as multiple health organizations have repeatedly stated not to wear face masks. However, Gaetz, one of President Donald Trump's staunchest supporters on Capitol Hill, reportedly told journalists that he believes "members of congress are human petri dishes" His office reiterated this to USA TODAY, saying that members "are always in airports, taking selfies with other people’s phones…if there’s anybody that’s going to get coronavirus it’s going to be the United States Congress. "House rules do not explicitly allow medical headgear even at this time of heightened concern. This is a rule that should be revisited," he continued. Sharing a picture of the a gas mask covering his entire face, Gaetz tweeted, “Reviewing the coronavirus supplemental appropriation and preparing to go vote.” More than 130 cases have been confirmed across the nation and the U.S. death toll hit 11 Wednesday. More than 95,000 people have become sick worldwide, with more than 3,000 dying. So far, there have been no confirmed cases in Washington, D.C. Coronavirus live updates: US death toll hits 11, including first in California; LA declares state of emergency Infectious-disease experts say masks can offer only slight protection against airborne illness like the coronavirus. Because of this, The Center for Disease Control has stated that they do not "recommend that people who are well wear a facemask themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19." "Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others" the CDC said. Despite the warnings, the virus has sent citizens to mass-buy face masks, causing a severe and mounting disruption to the global supply of masks and other personal protective equipment that is putting lives at risk from the new coronavirus and other infectious diseases, the World Health Organization said. Despite repeated cautions from health organizations that face masks aren't necessary, and just put sick people at risk, medical masks sales have spiked 319%. How to prepare for coronavirus: The shopping list for your own home quarantine kit Congressman Jim Hines, D-CT., said that "You won’t believe the shoes Matt Gaetz is wearing today" with a picture of Gaetz wearing the gas mask. Vice President Mike Pence reiterated today during a press conference about the coronavirus that there is "no need for Americans to buy masks." The House of Representatives voted 415-2 to pass the $8.3 billion emergency coronavirus response bill. Approval is expected from the Senate and Trump. The package approved by the Democrat-controlled House includes more than $3 billion for research and the development of vaccines and $2.2 billion that will help in prevention, preparedness and response. It also allocates $1 billion for state and local response, about half of which would go to specific cities. Each state would receive no less than $4 million. The resolution passed by the House allocates more than triple the $2.5 billion Trump originally asked for last month. More: Coronavirus concerns lead to hoarding, panic buying to stock 'panic pantries,' Nielsen says Gaetz voted for the bill, but said he "didn’t feel good about it. $8Billion+ in spending without offsets. The next generation will have to pay for their own pandemics....and ours too...with interest." The president has faced criticism for his initial response to the outbreak when he appeared to contradict health officials in his own administration about the scope of the virus. At a rally last week, Trump described opponents' criticism of his administration's response a "hoax" while members of his administration claimed the panic surrounding the virus was created by Democrats and the media to "bring down the president." https://www.yahoo.com/news/rep-matt-gaetz-wore-gas-012611160.html Hmmmm... B/A